The present invention relates to electronic devices and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for preventing unauthorized use of such electronic devices.
Electronic devices, such as personal computers and workstations, have proliferated in the modern business and home arena. With this proliferation, security has become an increasing concern. Modern devices serve as a repository of highly sensitive information which, if misused or misappropriated, can cause financial and competitive loss. Accordingly, protection of such information has become a practical necessity.
Password protection is a useful security precaution but such protection is not failproof. Passwords are subject to eavesdropping and, when misappropriated, permit unauthorized users to access subject matter under the password. Also, passwords provide limited protection against xe2x80x9crogue employeesxe2x80x9d and the like, persons who may have authorized access to passwords for limited purposes and are likely to use the passwords for unauthorized purposes. Further, even if password protection is maintained, unauthorized users may be able to glean useful information through observation of unprotected elements of a system.
One of the most powerful means of protecting electronic devices against unauthorized use is to force them to remain in an unpowered state at all times except during authorized use. In such a state, for example, information present on magnetic, optical or ROM memories cannot be read out and misappropriated. However, no known system turns an electronic device off and maintains the device off against xe2x80x9cwake upxe2x80x9d events, conventional methods to turn it on. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a security system in electronic devices that maintains electronic devices powered down against unauthorized attempts to restore power to such devices.
An embodiment of the present invention disables power up events in an electronic device. This embodiment includes a lockout circuit that interrupts power up signals transmitted from a power controller to a power supply in response to a triggering signal.